Overview

Jim Sharkey is an Irish and Americana folk musician who has a wonderful rapport with his audience wherever he plays. His repertoire ranges from The Clancy Brothers to The Pogues and Woody Guthrie to Old Crow Medicine Show. Jim plays several weekly venues in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina accompanying his music on guitar and harmonica. Jim is also a singer-songwriter. He is working on his fourth CD which he hopes to finish in 2019. Jim's other CDs "Black is the Color" and "Sweet Anne's Road" were released in 2015. "Misty Morning Rain" was released in 2017. "Sweet Anne's Road" and "Misty Morning Rain" are available on iTunes and CD Baby.

9 Reviews

Jim Sharkey performed at our monthly Family Night in an assisted living community. His range of song selection was perfect and the audience loved him! Many of my residents are already asking when he will be back! HIGHLY recommend.

Jim was a great fit for our venue, providing great music and being able to also engage the audience, all in a very laid-back and casual atmosphere. He was also very easy to work with. We will definitely be inviting him back next year!

Jim played during our cocktail hour and also performed our first dances at our September 2017 wedding. We first heard Jim play in Roanoke, VA and instantly fell in love with his voice and performance style! We asked if he’d be interested in playing at our wedding, and he made the four-hour drive to be there. He is as kind and charismatic as he is talented! We received so many compliments about having live music during the cocktail hour and for the first dances (we had a DJ for the rest of the reception), and people raved about Jim. He took the time to learn our two first dance songs (A Case of You by Joni Mitchell and Sweet Baby James by James Taylor for the dance with my dad), and sent us recordings before the wedding so we knew what to expect. His performances really made our wedding feel personal and intimate, and we absolutely loved having Jim be a part of it.

Jim performed for my wedding reception that was themed as a Irish pub wedding. He was incredible and definitely added to the event. His Irish music lit up the afternoon and everyone was dancing. It made my wedding day everything I wanted it to be. Thank you Jim!

Jim is a gifted and talented singer/songwriter with an engaging personality. His songs are thoughtful and beautifully sung, his stories interesting and fun. We sang along with his covers. My folks didn't want to leave when the music was over; they wanted to hear more.

Jim arrived early, meeting and chatting with folks as they arrived. When he finished singing, he put down his guitar and wandered through the crowd, greeting each resident by name, chatting with them and thanking them for coming. Later, I heard many comments on what, in Jim's performance and songs, they enjoyed.

As a busy person, I especially appreciated the ease of working with Jim to schedule and prepare for his performance. He is responsive and cooperative.

I highly recommend Jim for private parties, weddings, retirement homes, or any venue looking for beautiful music from someone with an engaging personality who is fun and easy to work with.

Jim was truly the perfect addition to our special wedding day. We were seeking a singing guitarist to play for our wedding ceremony and cocktail hour, and nobody's sound was quite right. Then we found Jim! We fell in love with his beautiful voice and palpable talent, and after listening to a few of his covers and most of his original songs, we reached out to him. Jim willingly traveled to Maine to play for our wedding at Deertrees Theatre, and even adapted one of his original songs "The Blue Stars Above" (adding new lyrics specific to our relationship!) to play as our processional. Many of our guests commented during the event and for months after how wonderful Jim was and how perfect a choice he was to play the ceremony and cocktail hour. A talented singer / guitarist and an absolutely wonderful individual, Jim is truly outstanding. We cannot recommend Jim highly enough!

Jim Sharkey is not only a fine musician and a gifted songwriter - he brings his Irish wit and humor along. In between his haunting melodies, he keeps his audience spellbound with stories and jokes. Jim infuses all of his performances with the beauty and nostalgia of Ireland, but it’s his unique blend of Irish folk, Americana and personal songwriting that really make him shine. His choice of music is well thought out and completely engaging, as there is always something for every listener. Do yourself and your friends a favor and invite Jim Sharkey to perform. I promise you’ll invite him again and again...

Booking Info

What to Expect

I play a lot of Irish traditional folk (on guitar, vocals, harmonica, Irish drum) in the style of The Pogues, The Dubliners, and Christy Moore. I also do some originals - 4 to 5 - as I don't want to go overboard with first time audience members who may not have heard my originals before. If I am doing a house concert with people familiar with my music I play more originals. I also play familiar or vaguely familiar Americana such as John Prine, Gordon Lightfoot and others. I also try to establish a friendly and jovial with the audience which I am usually successful at doing. I respect the venues and their needs and am very open towards working to put on the best show possible to meet the venue/booker's obvious business needs.

About

Singer-songwriter Jim Sharkey is an Irish and Americana folk musician. Jim grew up in County Roscommon, Ireland, and came to the US in 1982 when he joined the US Navy in London, England. He spent five years as a photographer on the USS Dixon in San Diego, California, and ten years working in television and video production in North Carolina and Maine. Later he taught children with special needs but decided to pursue music full-time in 2014. He plays around Virginia, North and South Carolina, Maryland, and Washington DC, accompanying himself on guitar, harmonica, and bodhran (Irish drum). Jim's original songs blend Celtic traditional ballad influences with contemporary issues that are often set in the area he resides.

Additional Booking Notes

No technical requirements. Please see equipment needed. Or I can provide my own sound.

Services Offered

Set List

I have a large amount of songs I like to pick and choose depending on the audience and the venue. Here is a list of songs:

ORIGINALS
Sweet Anne's Road
September
Man without a Country
Venus De Milo
The Three Ravens
I Saw from the Beach
Blow the Candle Out
House of Cards
Bought and Sold
Misty Morning Rain
Vignettes
The Enchanted Cap
All the Way from Home
Nothing in Particular
The Bar on the Square
The Champion
The Old Piano
The Christmas Comet
I Have to be Someplace

IRISH FOLK
As I Roved Out
Clare To Here
Crickle Wood
Dear Boss
Dirty Old Town
England's Motorways
Johnny Jump Up
Lament for Brendan Behan
Little Drummer
Marie's Wedding
Navigator
New South Wales
Ordinary Man
Pair Of Brown Eyes
Raglan Road
Sam Hall
Santy Anno
Solid Ground
South Australia
Sullivan's John
Tell Me Ma
The Blacksmith
The Old Triangle
Whiskey Is The Life Of Man
Molly Malone
The Wild Rover
Well Below The Valley
Whiskey In The Jar
The Nightingale
Raggle Taggle Gypsies
Leave Her Johnny
Moonshiner
Quare Bungle Rye
McAlpines Fusiliers
Fields Of Athenry
Haul Away Joe
Fiddler's Green
Star of the County Down
Spanish Lady
Paddy's Green Shamrock
The Parting Glass
Roddy McCorley
General Munroe
Green and Red of Mayo
Town I Loved So Well
Spancil Hill
Go Lassie Go
Leaving of Liverpool
Valley of Knockanure
Whiskey is the Life of Man
Black is the Color
I Know me Love
The Mermaid
Botany Bay
Cod Liver Oil
Crack was Ninety
Waltzing Matilda
Maids when yer Young